For the first time in nearly two decades, the Western Hockey League is hosting an expansion draft on Wednesday.
The Penticton Vees will join the WHL for the 2025-26 season jumping from the British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL). The Vees are the first expansion team to join the WHL since the Edmonton Oil Kings were added for the 2007-08 campaign.
In an interview with the Daily Herald, Raider general manager Curtis Hunt says the Vees will fit right into the WHL.
“I think it really helps some travel for the B.C. teams. Kelowna, Kamloops, even Prince George, you can come down to play a three in three in short distance. The border creates challenges to get across, traffic through to Vancouver and Seattle can create some challenges. I think Penticton has a long storied history, not just in the BCHL. They were part of a world championship at one point in time (in 1955). It’s a nice building, it’s a good town. I certainly spent a lot of time there when we watched the CSSHL as its home base is there. I think it’s a great addition for our league.”
With the recent CHL/NCAA rule change allowing players to suit up in the WHL and not lose their eligibility to play college hockey south of the border, several players made the jump to the WHL and other CHL members leagues over the course of last season.
Hunt says the deeper player pool and an additional team will allow more players to get an opportunity in the WHL.
“In light of the NCAA opening up and maybe access to more U S players, I don’t think the player pool is hurt so much. We’re going to get to see another team and another group of players so it’s exciting that way.”
All players born in 2009, who will be 16 years of age in the upcoming 2025-26 season will be exempt from the expansion draft.
Teams will have the option to protect 16 players born in 2008, 2007, 006 or 2005 who appear on their 50-player, injured, graduate, special import and 20-year-old lists, plus six players appearing on their college lists.
The other option is teams can protect 14 players born in 2008, 2007, 2006 and three 20-year-old players (born in 2005) who appear on any of the previously mentioned lists plus six players on their college list.
In addition, the two players who appeared on the pro hockey list, which is only for underage players in the NHL are also exempt from the expansion draft. Those players are Connor Bedard and Zach Benson.
Hunt says the decision of who to protect and who to leave exposed will not be an easy one for the organization to come to.
“The expansion draft always creates anxiety because you fall in love with your players and we have this great season and unfortunately, someone’s going to be exposed. We’re spending a lot of time going through that trying to just look at our lineup, what’s coming and what’s available and try to make a real good decision to minimize the damage. If you look at any one player and you say, if you lose that, do you have that in your depth and someone else here replace that. It’s just a matter of going through that process and just trying to do what’s right for the crest when they make that decision.”
First round of WHL Prospects Draft to follow expansion draft
Immediately following the expansion draft, the WHL will host the first round of the 2025 WHL Prospects Draft on Wednesday night.
The Raiders will hold the 16th overall pick. The last time the Raiders picked 16th overall, they selected Landon Lillejord out of Ceylon, Saskatchewan. Other 16th overall picks in Raider history include Jordan Sawatsky (1996), Sean Robertson (1993) and Kaleb Toth (1992).
Full list of Raider WHL Prospects Draft Picks
Round 1, 16th overall
Round 2, 39th overall
Round 3, 52nd overall (via Wenatchee)
Round 3, 59th overall (via Edmonton)
Round 3, 62nd overall
Round 4, 84th overall (via Brandon)
Round 5, 108th overall
Round 5, 112th overall (via Spokane)
Round 9, 200th overall
Round 11, 246th overall
Round 12, 269th overall
Round 13, 292nd overall
Round 14, 315th overall
Round 15, 338th overall
52nd and 112th overall picks acquired from Spokane on April 9, 2025 as part of Gavin Burcar trade
59th overall pick acquired on Dec. 1, 2021 from Edmonton as part of Kaiden Guhle trade
84th overall pick acquired from Brandon Wheat Kings in exchange for Seth Tansem
Rounds 2-15 of the Prospects Draft and the U.S. Priority Draft will take place on Thursday morning.
sports@paherald.sk.ca
